Day 32 - Video and Pictures

[Nick F]

Here' some youtube video clips of the RFD we rode out at Kearney yesterday, will upload later RFD near Aurora at gas statoin where we rode out 120 mph winds in our car! WARNING contains swearing

Kearney RFD: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yfTVHG4eUeQ

[NL]

That was amazing.. cant wait to experience that...!!!!

[Nick F]

Some pictures of the RFD wind damage at the gas station by the I-80 near Aurora:

[NL]

Nick that video was working.... Paul keeps on sayin "S#!t were F$(£*D, and didnt believe that everyone else took shelter

in the garage building, constant lightning looks very green, fantastic..

[Nick F]

Nick that video was working.... Paul keeps on sayin "S#!t were F$(£*D, and didnt believe that everyone else took shelter

in the garage building, constant lightning looks very green, fantastic..

Have some other footage to upload later when I get a good wifi signal ... including a stove pipe tornado near Kearney.

[Rustynailer]

Excellent video, you guys can share that one with the kids and grand kids for many years to come

I like RFD's as much as tornado's now, trains are bloody heavy each wagon is probably over 25 tons, it looks like a whole string of them went over.

Had to laugh at the Youtube related videos list alongside. Chrissy's weight loss adventure... I think she would loose weight damn quick in an RFD :lol:

Look forward to the garage shredder video with baited breath, you guys were very lucky not to get injured in that by the looks.

Russ

Just seen it, wow it certainly went very dark and windy, that gas station is fubar. Great!

[Mandy Langlands]

Oh my god and we moan and a bit of rain and wind. Well done guys ...stay safe.xxx

[Nick F]

abc 8 news at Lincoln had Chris (The ITV cameraman interviewed in their studios earlier about us riding out the RFD at Aurora yesterday, also Paul S is also on their briefly being interviewed at the gas station after the RFD passed. The video appears not to be available yet, but should be on the link below when it is:

http://www.klkntv.com/

TV clip of Keaney damage ... we were right next to the railroad wagons they mention being blown over!

http://www.klkntv.com/global/video/popup/p...mp;rnd=30746560

[grab my graupel]

Oh man....That video was class :lol: That was seriously exciting stuff.

Brilliant guys! Just Brilliant!

[Louise]

Unbelievable stuff!! I'd still be suffering with shock I think! Now there's a day you won't forget in a hurry. :lol:

[pottyprof]

Paul.. Don't you know that ciggies are bad for your health??? LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!

Fantastic footage guys.. Little too close for comfort tho.. :lol:

[Roger J Smith]

OMG, you are quite lucky to be alive after that ... dark for at least five minutes an hour or more before sunset, and obvious sounds of 100 mph winds outside your vehicle.

I alerted the CNN weather crew to this video, Paul and Nick, suggesting they ask you for your permission to show it on the air (perhaps with the sound off :lol: ... it is very rare footage, and when you say it's the RFD, I believe you but really, the boundary between the edge of a tornado and the strongest part of the RFD is academic. Last summer in Manitoba, an RFD event did millions of dollars of damage very similar in scale to the B'ham F2 tornado in July 2005. So really, the only thing that is absent from RFD winds is the tornadic possibility of a complete swirl, but as you experienced, often there is a sharp windshift which just enhances the damage because part of the damage is already done, then a new wind direction is established getting at that damage from a new angle, which can only increase the results.

See if CNN contacts you guys about this, I mentioned that you are still in the USA until Saturday.

[craig1uk]

Holy-moly-mary-mother of god, that looked like a giggle, glad u r all ok, some ride! Did'nt even realise u were next to a gas station 'till the end, awesome.

[AndyNEEssex]

OMG, you are quite lucky to be alive after that ... dark for at least five minutes an hour or more before sunset, and obvious sounds of 100 mph winds outside your vehicle.

I alerted the CNN weather crew to this video, Paul and Nick, suggesting they ask you for your permission to show it on the air (perhaps with the sound off ... it is very rare footage, and when you say it's the RFD, I believe you but really, the boundary between the edge of a tornado and the strongest part of the RFD is academic. Last summer in Manitoba, an RFD event did millions of dollars of damage very similar in scale to the B'ham F2 tornado in July 2005. So really, the only thing that is absent from RFD winds is the tornadic possibility of a complete swirl, but as you experienced, often there is a sharp windshift which just enhances the damage because part of the damage is already done, then a new wind direction is established getting at that damage from a new angle, which can only increase the results.

See if CNN contacts you guys about this, I mentioned that you are still in the USA until Saturday.

Chris, the ITV Cameraman, has had his HD footage shown on ABC Channel 8 this morning (With Paul's cameo), and has allowed this footage to be posted up on the board - Links will be provided later, but as a slight spoiler they were positioned about 70ft behind us, pretty much in the full flow, position with the backend of the van into the wind - the footage of the RFD moving over and out front of the vehicle is amazing, as is when Chris opens the door!! :lol:

He did apologise to the guys on live TV during the interview though!!

Andy

[The Royal Moi]

That video is epic. How come your jeep didn't turn over or at least wobble? Must be all the gear inside. Yeah the sound of the wind at 100 mph is something else. I've been on a motorbike and the edges of your vision try to get a bit blurred etc. I think you might have been safer in the car instead of the building " wheres that house gone?" Was funny when u said "not goin to believe this" and someone said "u goin to get out?" Lol.

Whats the damage to the cars then? New side panels from hail? Must be costly hobby. I thought repairing old motorbikes were expensive enough..

[Roger J Smith]

Andy, I know the sheer terror and exhilaration you must have felt during that storm, I've been fairly close myself a few times although not so much by choice ... the last time was in July 1995 when I was watching a similar storm from inside my house in Ontario at 0300 and wondering if we should run down to the basement, because the trees outside were bending over almost touching the ground, and the neighbour's garden furniture was blowing up our garden at a brisk pace.

That was probably about three quarters of the wind speed you had, if that, and I remember my heart was going about twice the normal rate. Our cat went behind the piano and didn't emerge until the next afternoon. :lol: Then we learned that an F2 tornado had struck very nearby and that it must have just lifted off the surface before hitting our place.

I've had maybe three other close calls with damaging severe storms, none of them tornadoes, but I've seen tornado damage the day after in a few cases -- something you'll never forget for as long as you live.

What a great storm chase it has been though, especially this last segment, but the whole thing has been riveting ... or in some cases un-riveting.

--------------------

Just an unrelated note, if readers remember the deadly tornado last week in Parkersburg, Iowa, CNN was reporting today that bits and pieces of peoples' personal effects like bank statements, photos etc, have turned up in Wisconsin over a hundred miles from the damaged houses in Iowa. Amazing, isn't it, that the storms have that much power?

[AndyNEEssex]

It was very exhilarating, slightly unnerving, but at no time did I feel my life was in danger. Paul had positioned the car exceptionally - at a slight angle to a Winnebago and behind other cars, so only the very top of the vehicle was being buffeted, well away from the centre of gravity!!!

Our close encounter at Aurora has been classed as a 1/2 mile wide EF2 Wedge, which was on the ground 3/4 mile due North of us.

Andy

[UkStormChaser]

It was very exhilarating, slightly unnerving, but at no time did I feel my life was in danger. Paul had positioned the car exceptionally - at a slight angle to a Winnebago and behind other cars, so only the very top of the vehicle was being buffeted, well away from the centre of gravity!!!

Our close encounter at Aurora has been classed as a 1/2 mile wide EF2 Wedge, which was on the ground 3/4 mile due North of us.

Andy

Man you guys are lucky that tornado stayed away from you. That could have been alot worse. Glad your all ok though. I presume you all needed clean underwear after that? I know i did when i got broadsided by a satelite tornado last yr in Kansas.

[ian cameron]

Damage Survey from the EF2 Tornado that was moving straight at us, somehow amazingly the Tornado turned just to our North, we were literally just South of the Tornado near I80

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_sto...62&source=0

And this shows how the whole situation changed so rapidly

http://www.spegweb.com/wx/aurora/aurora_2313.php

Ian

[MAF]

Thanks Ian. i would like to say thank you to the whole StormChasing team for 2008, its been a real pleasure reading the reports and watching the videos. i reckon you all deserve a great pat on the back. Well done and Thank you

[Roger J Smith]

"You are approaching a twisting storm."

No mate, we are IN a twisting storm. But thanks for the heads-up !!!

Yes, well done on a great month of storm chasing, I'm sure I would have been following these events but your on-the-spot recording and reporting has really added a great deal to my understanding of what goes on ... and yet opened up all sorts of new questions at the same time. Like, who goes into the car rental at the end of the trip -- do you draw straws for that one?

[dogs32]

I first thought this was taken at night.so dark

.that must of been scary big time..

Ive never seen a storm make it night before....I bet yopu must of thought this could be the end.

truly brilliant stuff

[dogs32]

Paul....How long have you left mate....I thought maybe you lot had left seeing havent heard anything

got to admit you went out with a BANG..I hope next will be good to ..it was like watching a film over the month unfold

[Paul Sherman]

Hi Dogs Mate

We fly home tomorrow from DFW, Doing some shopping today and trying to clean up the car, it is wrecked! Baseball Dents, metal debris slashed through the side of the car etc. So tempted by todays Moderate Risk but I am done with Chasing for this year, absolutely knackered and even the 197 miles up to Ok City to see Supercells today is not enough for me to go, we dont fly until 5pm tomorrow but after 35 days and 14 Tornadoes (1 In the bugger) countless Supercells, Amazing Hailstorms, Trains getting knocked off tracks, a House getting destroyed by a Night-time Cone Tornado I think some shopping for the wife and kids is in order. Will post a summary of the whole trip when I get time, we still have some amazing footage we have not yet uploaded, and the HD Footage you will see next year on ITV Is incredible.

Paul S

[dogs32]

cheers Paul..and crew!.thoroughly enjoyed the posts...

Glad you lot are coming home alive.....Going to write my will next year just in case ....I love Tornados but I dont wont to taste one..lol

Very good year by the looks of things..well done to all...

Have a good flight home...see you back in small TS country

And good job NL..for the frequent updates warnings of the situ...